Delhi govt curbs theft of 10mn power units in Kamruddin Nagar

Delhi's crackdown on electricity theft in Kamruddin Nagar has prevented 10 million units of power loss, saving ₹24.4 crore annually, officials report.

New Delhi

Officials said that since the crackdown, electricity theft in the area has already declined by around 34,000 units per day. (Representative photo)

The Delhi government said it has prevented theft of over 10 million units (kWh) of electricity in a crackdown on illegal power connections in west Delhi’s Kamruddin Nagar, which were causing an annual loss of ₹24.4 crore to the exchequer, officials said on Tuesday.

Kamruddin Nagar, which falls under the Mundka division, recorded aggregate power losses of 56.4%, making it one of the city’s high-loss areas, officials said.

“A crackdown was launched to curb power theft in Kamruddin Nagar area. Since then, electricity theft in the area has already declined by around 34,000 units per day. Similar action will be initiated in other areas also,” power minister Ashish Sood said.

Officials said that the primary offenders were commercial and industrial establishments, and most of them were clandestinely drawing electricity through unauthorised connections from overhead power lines.

The action comes after power minister Sood directed distribution companies and enforcement agencies to undertake strict action against power theft and ensure sustained enforcement in the area. The minister has also ordered the replacement of vulnerable overhead lines with secure and theft-resistant armoured cables to curb further pilferage.

The Delhi government is extending similar enforcement measures to other high-loss areas across the city. Officials said additional police personnel are being deployed for confidential raids, while advanced data analytics tools are being used to identify and act against power theft in other divisions.

Sood warned that illegal commercial establishments involved in electricity theft would face immediate disconnection of power supply, stringent penalties and sealing of their premises.